Machine



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(No Mo A. LEHER.

ROOFING MACHINE- Patented; Dec. 6

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H. A. LEI-IEB.

ROOPINGMAOHINE. v No. 309,472. Patented Dec. 16, 1884'.

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HENRY A. LEHER, OF CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI.

ROOFING MACHINE.

EWEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,?72, dated December16, 1884.

I Application filed September 5, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. LEHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cape Girardeamin the county of Cape Girardeau and State ofMissouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement inRoofing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, referen cebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to roofing-machines; and it has for its object toprovide means which can be operated with ease and efficiency, and domuch better work than those in present use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this classwhich can be operated to produce either single or double seams on themeeting edges of the tin forming the roofing.

-Vith these and other objects in view the said invention consists incertain details of construction and combination of parts, as hereinafterset forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing themachine in position for bending over the meeting edges of the tin. Fig.2 is a similar view showing the parts in position for turning in theedges to form the single seam. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the clamping-frame, which has theadjustable gage. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section. Fig. (i is asectional view showing the single seam complete. Fig. 7 is a similarview illustrating the first action of the machine in changing from asingle to a double seam. Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the doubleseam complete. Fig. 9 is a detached view of the hammering-frame. Fig. 10is a similar view of the bendingblock, and Fig. 11 is a similar view ofthe other clamping-frame.

Like letters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts inthe several figures.

Referring to the several drawings, AB designate a pair of pivotedclamping-frames arranged to hold the meeting edges of the tin formingthe roofing while being seamed.

The frame A consists of vertical sidebars, G 0, connected at their upperand lower ends by longitudinal bars E E, and the frame 13 comprisescurved side bars, D D, having their upper and lower ends connected bylongitudinal bars F F, handles G H being secured, re spectively, to theupper end bar, E F, of each frame A B. The side bars, D D, of the frameB are in the form of a compound curve, and extend across the centralportion of the vertical side bars, C0, of the other frame, and pivotedat their centers thereto by bolts I I, one or more holes, a, beingformed in the side bars, D D, and registering with a hole, I), in theside bars, G 0, so that the bolts may be withdrawn and placed in eitherone of the holes a, to adjust the frame 12; vertically, as required. Thelower longitudinal end bar, F, of the frame 13 has its inner edgeprovided with an upwardly-extending wall, 0, which eX- tends along thelength of the bar, the inner face of the wall being vertical andextending up to a pointed edge, d, and the outer face incliningdownwardly from the latter, so as to allow the bending of the tinroofing over the same in the manner hereinafter explained. A piece, J,is arranged parallel with the lower longitudinal bar, E, of the frame A,and has its outer face connected at the ends by strips K K, the otherends of which are slotted at L L, to receive headed screws M M, passinginto the side bars, 0 G, of the frame A. It will be seen that byloosening the screws the piece J can be adjusted away from or nearer tothe lower longitudinal end bar, E, and then,

by tightening the screws, the parts will be held in the adjustedposition.

N designates the hammering-frame, consist ing of a longitudinal endcontact-piece, O, and curved side bars, P P, the latter having theirends pivoted upon the inner ends of the bolts I 1, within the frame A.The inner face of the piece 0 is arranged to comein contact with thelower longitudinal bar, E, of the frame A and press the edge of the tinagainst the same in seaming. A plate, Q, is attached to the upper faceof the contact-piece O, and is slotted to receive the lower end of ahandle, It, a pin or stud, c, pivoting the handle to the said plate, sothat by the downward movement of the handle the contact-piece O bearsagainst the bar E of the frame A, to form the scam in the manner which Iwill presently set forth. It will be seen that the hammering-frame N isallowed a free swing ICC ing movement to work in and out against themeeting edges of the tin forming the roofing, and may be raised, whennot in operation, in order not to interfere with the free movement ofthe other parts of the machine.

To the inner faces of the side bars, 0 C, of theframe A are attachedcurved brackets S S,.wl1ich are cutout at f to form bearings for thejournals of an oscillating bending-block, T, the latter fitting flatagainst the under side of the bar E of the frame A when not in use, itsinner face inclining downward and coming on a line with the inner faceof said bar E.

To the upper face of the bending-block T is attached an angle-plate, U,which has its upper end slotted to receive the lower end of a handle, V,bent at an obtuse angle near the center, as at f, a pin or stud, h,connecting and pivoting the handle-lever to the angleplate. Thebendingbloek oscillates on its bearings to cause its inner face to workinward and partly downward by theinward movement of the handle, thelatter being adapted to be drawn up, so .as to withdraw the bendingbloekfrom action.

It will be seen that the clamping-frames A,

B are forced together by the holding of the handles thereof in theposition shown in the drawings, the meeting edges of the tin being heldbetween the inner faces of the lowerlongitudinal end bars, E F, of eachframe.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the annexed draw- 1ngs.

The roofing is applied in the usual manner to the roof of the building,the meeting edges of the tin being turned up at right angles to the roofand soldered together at the lower ends. One of the turned-up ends ofthe tin is shorter than the others, so that the longer a one may be bentover and turned in flat against the shorter end to form a single seam.(Shown in Fig. 6.)

In the operation of forming the seams the clamping-frames A B are openedby the ban dles G H, to enable them to fit around and clasp the meetingedges of the tin roofing, the turned-up ends of the edges projectingbetween the bars E F of the clampingframes. The short turned-up end ofthe tin has its upper edge on a line with the upper edges of the wall 0of the bar F, while the long turned-up end projects above the bar E.Then by operating the handle \V inward, the bending.- block T is causedto oscillate inward, its inner face bearing against the end of the tinprojecting above the bar E and causing said long end to bend over, asseen in Fig. 1. During this operation the hammering-frame is upheld byits handle, so as not to interfere with the free movement of thebending-block. \Vhen the latter has sufficiently bent the long turned-upend over the shorter one, it is withdrawn from engagement and held awayby its handle, the hammering-frameNcoming into action. The ends of themeeting edges of the tin roofing are still turn in said end flat againstthe other meeting edge, as seen in Fig. 2. This completes the singleseam, which is in the shape shown in Fig. 6, and if it is desired toform the double seam for additional strengthening purposes the operationhereinbefore described is repeatedthat is, the adjustable piece J isadjusted about three-eighthsof an inch nearer to the bar E to allow forthe seam which has just been made and permit the upper end of the seamto projecta sufficient distance above the bar E of the frame A. Thehammeringframe N is drawn up out of the way, and the bending-block Tworked or oscillated to cause its inner face to bend the seam over thein clined wall 0, in the form shown in Fig. 7. The bending-block isitself drawn up and the hammering-frame N comes into action, the frame Bbeing adjusted or lowered to allow the operation of the latter. Byworking the hammering-frame inward its contact-piece 0 turns in the bentupper end of the seam flat against the tin to complete the double seam.(Shown more clearly in Fig. 8.) Inthis manner, after the workman hascovered the roof and turned up the meeting edges of the tin, thismachine may be used to scam the edges so as to form a tight joint.

My machine provides means which can be operated with ease and efficiencyto do much better work than by present form of machines and with lessexpenditure of time. It is also used to produce single and double seamsby the same machine, and .without requiring any change except in the adjstment of the piece J.

My machine is simplt in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, andefficient in use.

\Vhen the bending-block is in operation,the hammering-frame should beheld out of the way, and vice versa, and after the movement of thebending-block the frame B should be lowered about three-eighths of aninch to permit the action of the hammering-frame.

\Vhile using the machine the operator should hold the handles of theframes A B and the bending-block together with one hand and use theother hand to operate the hammering frame, the same course being pursuedwhen working the bending-block.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a roofing-machine, thecombination, with the adj ustablypivoted clamping-frames, one of whichhas an adjustable gage, of the oscillating bending-block andhammeringframe, .as set forth.

2. In a roofing-machine, the combination, with a pair ofclamping-frames, of a bending block and a hammering-frame, for thepurpose set forth.

3. The herein-described roofing-machine, comprising a pair of adjustableclampingframes, an oscillating bending-block, and a l1ammering-frame,each of which is provided with a handle, said bending-block beingadapted to be upheld out of the way when the hammering-frame is inoperation, and vice versa, as set forth.

4. In a roofing-machine, the combination, with a pair of elampingframesrectangular in form, the sides of one frame being curved and extendingacross the sides of the other frame, at or about the center, andadjnstably pivoted thereto, of an oscillating bendingbloek and thehammering-frame, as set forth.

5. In a roofing-machine, the combination, with a pair ofclamping-frames, one of which fits Within and is pivoted to the other,and is provided with an adjustable piece fitted to its lower end to forma gage, of the bendingbloek, hammering-frame,and means for oper- HENRYA. LEHEP.

itnesses:

THOMAS SA'UERBRUNN,

ating the same, as set forth.

\VILIJIAM H. Connoiv.

